Motorola AP-51XX - Manual (Page 592)

AP-51xx Access Point Product Reference Guide 9-4
The access point in client bridge mode attempts to establish up to 3 simultaneous wireless
connections. The second and third connections are established in the background while the system
is running. The first connection needs to be established before the system starts bridging traffic.
The dual-radio model access point affords users better optimization of the mesh networking feature
by allowing the access point to transmit to other access points (in base or client bridge mode) using
one independent radio and transmit with its associated MUs using the second independent radio. A
single-radio access point has its channel utilization and throughput degraded in a mesh network, as
the access point’s single radio must process both mesh network traffic with other access points and
MU traffic with its associated devices.
9.1.1.1 Client Bridge Configuration Process Example
In this example, two access points are described with the following configurations:
• AP #1 base bridge
• AP #2 repeater (both a base and client bridge)
In the case of a mesh enabled radio, the client bridge configuration always takes precedence over the
base bridge configuration. Therefore, when a radio is configured as a repeater (AP #2), the base
bridge configuration takes effect only after the client bridge connection to AP #1 is established. Thus,
AP #2 keeps scanning to find the base bridge, form the uplink and start beaconing as a base bridge
for downstream client bridge connection. This is by design, as there is no reason to use a partially
broken connection with no uplink to a base bridge.
9.1.2 Spanning Tree Protocol (STP)
The access point performs mesh networking using STP as defined in the 802.1d standard.
Once device association is complete, the client and base bridge exchange Configuration Bridge
Protocol Data Units (BPDUs) to determine the path to the root. STP also determines whether a given
port is a redundant connection or not.
NOTE The Motorola AP-4131 access point uses a non-standard form of 802.1d
STP, and is therefore not compatible as a base bridge or client bridge
within an access point managed network.